Germany cannot accept so many refugees: Cardinal Marx : News Headlines | Catholic Culture February 08 2016 Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has called for a reduction in the number of refugees entering Germany Although he has said that Europe should welcome refugees Cardinal Marx the president of the German bishops conference said that his nation cannot take in all the world s needy With well over 1 million refugees having reached Germany in the past year he said that other nations must accept

Pope Francis: Christ and the Church ‘fish’ for men and women : News Headlines | Catholic Culture 2016 Reflecting on the day s Gospel reading Lk 5 1 11 Pope Francis told the crowds gathered in St Peter s Square for his February 7 Angelus address that the mission of Christ and the Church is to seek out fish for men and women to return the full dignity and freedom to all through the forgiveness of sins This is the essence of Christianity to spread the regenerating and gratuitous love of God with the attitude of acceptance and mercy to everyone because everyone can meet the tenderness of God and have fullness of life he continued The Pope added Today s Gospel challenges us Do we really trust the Word of the Lord Or do we let ourselves be discouraged by our failures In this Holy Year of Mercy we are called to comfort those who feel they are sinners and unworthy and downhearted for their mistakes telling them the same words of Jesus Fear not The mercy of the father is greater than your sins Don t fear It s greater Let s pray that the Virgin Mary helps us to understand more and more that being a disciple means to put our feet on the

Prayer unlocks the heart of God, Pope tells Padre Pio prayer groups : News Headlines | Catholic Culture of the relics of St Pio of Pietrelcina and St Leopold Mandic gathered in St Peter s Square on February 6 Addressing the members of the prayer groups Pope Francis paid tribute to St Pio and emphasized the importance of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy In his long hours in the confessional and in his intense suffering St Pio was a servant of mercy who became a channel of mercy Pope Francis said Prayer he continued does not exist to get a little peace of heart rather it is a spiritual work of mercy in which we entrust others to the Lord Quoting St Pio the Pope said that prayer is the best weapon that we have a key that opens the heart of God Recalling St Pio s House for the Relief of the Suffering Pope Francis also spoke about the importance of the corporal work of mercy of visiting the sick distinguishing the treatment of the disease from the care rendered to the sick person Again quoting St Pio the Pope said that the sick person is Jesus References Jubilee for Prayer Groups of Padre Pio 2016 02 06 YouTube Vatican Udienza ai Gruppi di Preghiera

Australian abuse panel will take Cardinal Pell's testimony by video link : News Headlines | Catholic Culture will take Cardinal Pell s testimony by video link February 08 2016 The head of an Australian royal commission investigating the sex abuse scandal has agreed to take testimony from Cardinal George Pell by a video link Cardinal Pell who has already given testimony twice before the commission had been due to appear a third time in December But the cardinal revealed that his doctors had told him that he should not make the trip from Rome because of a heart condition More recently the Australian prelate who now lives in Rome where he heads the Secretariat for the Economy cancelled a speaking appearance in the US again explaining that his health would not allow the overseas voyage Last year upon hearing the Cardinal Pell could not make the trip Judge Peter McClellan who chairs the investigating committee declined the cardinal s offer to testify by video link But now having seen the cardinal s medical file he has reversed that decision He explained that it could not be expected that his health is likely to improve sufficiently to allow the long flight he said References Vatican treasurer may front Australian abuse inquiry remotely judge Reuters Health issues force Cardinal

Patriarchs call for prayer, fasting for suffering Church in Syria, Iraq : News Headlines | Catholic Culture good as 1 000 Help set a new record for the number of gifts this month Goal 1 000 769 to go Catholic World News Patriarchs call for prayer fasting for suffering Church in Syria Iraq February 08 2016 The heads of the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church have called upon Catholics to pray and fast for the suffering Christians of Syria and Iraq especially on Ash Wednesday Stating that the crisis has reached apocalyptic dimensions Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako asked Aid to the Church in Need Pray and fast that we may remain in our homelands that the refugees may return to their villages and cities Our faith is put to the test day after day added Melkite Patriarch Gregory III Laham We see the suffering of the children the pain of the parents we are surrounded by hatred and death We want to be able to live in peace once more in our beloved homeland Please fast and pray with us It is impossible that the Lord will not answer the combined prayers and sacrifices of His children References Will you carry the cross for one day with the persecuted Christians of

182 madrasas closed in Pakistan for promoting extremism : News Headlines | Catholic Culture madrasas closed in Pakistan for promoting extremism February 08 2016 Since December 2014 the Pakistani government has closed 182 madrassas or Muslim schools for promoting extremism according to an AsiaNews report The closings have followed the Peshawar school massacre the deadliest terrorist incident in the nation s history References Pakistan shut down 182 madrassas since Peshawar massacre AsiaNews it Leading Pakistani bishop the Taliban will stop at nothing now CWN

European bishops’ commission welcomes European Parliament’s condemnation of ISIS : News Headlines | Catholic Culture Dictionary Catechism Church Fathers Most Collection Free eBooks Connect Home On Facebook On Twitter eNewsletters Site Tour Web Widgets Feeds Contact Us Advertise Subscribe Login Donate News Home Important Popular Week Month Archives About CWN Catholic World News European bishops commission welcomes European Parliament s condemnation of ISIS February 08 2016 The Commission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Union COMECE has welcomed the European Parliament s use of the word genocide in condemning atrocities committed by the Islamic State against Christians and Yazidis We warmly welcome this resolution of the European Parliament as a significant step forward in facilitating measures to prevent the on going incipient genocide against Christians Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities and communities across the Middle East said Father Patrick Daly COMECE s general secretary Steps to prosecute criminals and bring them to justice are also imperative References Tragic fate of Christians and other minorities recognized as Genocide COMECE European Parliament condemns Islamic State war crimes against Christians CWN 2 4 Sound Off CatholicCulture org supporters weigh in All comments are moderated To lighten our editing burden only current donors are allowed to Sound Off If you are a donor log in to

Maronite Patriarch sees Lebanon empty presidency pushing Lebanon toward collapse : News Headlines | Catholic Culture Alert SOLIDARITY MONTH 10 is as good as 1 000 Help set a new record for the number of gifts this month Goal 1 000 769 to go Catholic World News Maronite Patriarch sees Lebanon empty presidency pushing Lebanon toward collapse February 08 2016 Maronite Catholic Patriarch Beshara al Rai has warned that Lebanon is on the brink of collapse because of a long political stalemate that has blocked the election of a new president the AsiaNews service reports On February 7 the Maronite prelate made a new appeal to the members of the deadlocked Lebanese parliament saying that they should back away from the entrenched positions that have prevented the selection of a new leader He pleaded with them to serve the common good rather than their partisan interests Since May 2014 when former President Michel Suleiman ended his term rival factions in parliament have blocked the election of a new leader Lebanon s political charter calls for the selection of a Maronite Christian but the two leading political blocs one supporting Hezbollah with ties to Iran the other backing Saad Hariri with ties to Saudi Arabia have refused to compromise References Maronite Patriarch Without a President Lebanon is